Weft detector control on drop box looms



Oct.24, 1944. c, DARWIN 2,360,852

WEFT DETECTOR CONTROL ON DROP BOX LOOM Filed Feb. 15, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG- 1 5 54. Q) 52' INVENTOR V CLw-FoaD' Dnwnq 42am"?- Oct. 24, 1944. v c, DARWIN 2,360,85 2

WEFT DETECTOR CONTROL ON DROP BOX LOOM.

. Filed Feb. 15, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm I ' FIE-5 RT'TQPQN EY Patented Oct. 24, 1944 WEFT DETECTOR CONTROL ON DROP BOX LOOMS Clifford Darwin, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 15, 1943, Serial No. 475,893

13 Claims. (01. 139-230) prevent the detector from initiating replenishment at improper times.

In weft replenishing pick and pick filling mixing looms it is customary to employ a set of shifting shuttle boxes on the replenishing end of the loom and provide a weft detector which rises and falls with the boxes while maintaining registry With one of them. The boxes ordinarily comprise two cells which shift in a four-pick cycle during the first two picks of which the top cell is up in inactive position and during the second two picks of which the top cell is down in active position. Replenishment ordinarily occurs during the second pick in which the top cell is in inactive position in response to an indication of weft exhaustion given by the detector on the previous or first pick of the four-pick sequence. The boxes change during a shifting interval which starts approximately at bottom center and ends at top center, actual indication by the detector occurring when the lay is on front center and the boxes are about half shifted. The magazine is located to cooperate with the top box when the latter is up only, and is not in position to effect transfer into that box when it is down. I It is an'im-portant object of my invention to prevent indication of weft exhaustion by the detector during the second pair of picks of the fourpick sequence when the top box is moving toward active position.

It is a further object of my present invention to .provide a control for the train of mechanism between the detector and the magazine which will permit communication of indication of Weft exhaustion from the detector to the magazine on the first pick of the four-pick sequence when the boxes are rising but will prevent communication of indication of weft exhaustion from the detector to the magazine on later picks of the sequence.

The train of mechanism already mentioned includes a controller the position of which is determined by the weft detector and an actuator cooperating with the controller and connected to the magazine. When indication of weft exhaustion is given by the detector the controller interrupts normal movement of the actuator and causes it to set the magazine for transfer. It is another object of my present invention to provide a mechanism or positioner which will move ,the controller to non-indicating position whenever the actuator has a working stroke during the last three picks of the four-pick sequence, thereby .preventing the detector from setting the magazine for transfer at'a point in the cycle which is too late for completion of transfer.

On the first pick of the four-pick sequence the combined forward motion of the lay and upward shift of the shuttle boxes causes the latter to move through a curved path the height of which is equal to the distance through which the boxes rise and the length of which is determined by that part of the forward and backward motion of the lay which occurs during the box shifting interval. During the first pick this path is curved upwardly and forwardly until the lay reaches front center, after which it continues upwardly but is curved rearwardly. The path is traversed in reverse order during the third pick when the boxes are descending. It is a further object of my present invention to provide a controller positioner operated by some part moving with the boxes, such as the floor of the top shuttle box, so related to the aforesaid path as to be raised and thereby rendered ineffective to interfere with the control exercised over the controller by the weft detector during the first pick of the sequence when the boxes are rising, but so located as to receive a forward thrust when the boxes are descending during the third pick to move the controller to non-controlling position independently of the weft detector. An indication of exhaustion by the detector "during the third pick would therefore not cause setting of the loom for transfer.

With these and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a loom provided with my invention and showing the shuttle boxes down in the position they occupy at the beginning of a four-pick sequence,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion of Fig. 1 showing the detector, the controller and the connections for the latter forming part of my invention,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 2, showing the detector and boxes in raised position such as that occupied during the second pick of the four-pick sequence,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the cam which operates the aforesaid actuator, and V Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the path traversed by the floor extension of the top shuttle box and its relation to the device which disables the controller.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I provide a loom frame II) on which is supported a lay L having a race plate R for the shuttles. A lay end II projecting from the right end of the lay has guided thereon a gang GR. of shuttle boxes which in the present instance comprises top and bottom cells I2 and I3, respectively, each capable of alignment with the race plate to receive and have picked therefrom shuttles which are employed in the operation of the loom. The gang GR is raised and lowered by means of box lifter rod I5 which is controlled by mechanism not shown to move the boxes upwardly at the beginning of a four-pick sequence and maintain the cell I2 in inactive position for the first pair of picks, and then move the boxes down on the third pick of the sequence to maintain the cell I2 active for the last pair of picks of the sequence. While the cell I2 is inactive cell I3 will be in picking position. The loom will ordinarily operate with a group of shuttles which follow each other in rotation and are picked into and out of the cells I2 and I3 according to a prescribed and well-known sequence for the purpose of mixing weft in the fabric being woven.

The loom frame supports a magazine M, which in the present instance may be of the multi-color stationary type having a foot I6 bolted to the loom frame and by which the magazine is supported. A large horizontal stud I1 is supported by the magazine frame I8 and has depending therefrom a bracket I9 for the weft detector mechanism. The bracket is held in fixed position by means of set screws 20 and is located in front of the gang GR.

Mounted on the bracket I9 is a guide 22 for the vertical stem 23 of a weft detector support 24. The stem is connected by means of rod 28 to the bottom of the box lifter rod I5 by connections not shown so that the support 24 rises and falls in a vertical path in front of the gang GR is the latter rises and falls. A weft detector D is mounted on the support and comprises 'a feeler finger 25 pivoted as at 26 to a slide 21 mounted for back and forth movement on support 24. The finger is adapted for cooperation with the bobbin B in the upper shuttle S in the top box I2 and is always in register with the top box.

The weft detector is of the side slipping type and when the tip 35 of finger 25 engages a sufficient supply of weft on the bobbin B the finger,

25 and slide 21 will move forwardly. If the tip 30 engages an exhausted supply of weft, however, it will slide along the bobbin and the slide 21 will remain in rear position.

In order that indication of weft exhaustion be communicated to the magazine from the detector I provide a shaft 33 mounted on the bracket I9 and having at the left end thereof as viewed in Fig. 2 an upright arm 34 to the top of which is pivoted a controller pin 35 extending rearwardly through a horn 36 fixed with respect to the bracket I9. A spring 3'! placed between the bracket I9 and a collar 38 on shaft 33 normally urges the controller 35 rearwardly, or to the right as viewed in Fig. 3.

An actuator arm 42 fixed to shaft 33 extends upwardly to have engagement with the front of slide 21, see Figs. 2 and 3. When the slide 21 moves forwardly it rocks arm 42 in a left hand direction as viewed in Fig. 3 to cause a correspending angular motion of shaft 33 and resultant movement of the controller pin 35 forwardly out of the path of an actuator lever 44. Spring 31 and arm 42 then operate to return slide 21 to its normal rear position. When the detector indicates weft exhaustion, however, and slide 2'! remains in rear position, the arm 42 will not be moved forwardly and the controller pin will remain in its normal position under the actuator lever 44,

In order that indication of weft exhaustion by the detector may be utilized to set the magazine for transfer I employ mechanism similar to that heretofore used and shown in Fig. 1. The actuator lever 44 is mounted on the upper end of a block 46 guided for vertical motion in a slide bearing 41 fixed with respect to the bracket I9. The lower end of the block is attached to a descending rod 48 connected as suggested in Fig. 4 to a lever 50 turning on a fixed pivot 5|. Lever 50 extends rearwardly for engagement with and operation by a cam 52 on the loom bottom shaft 53. The cam and shaft complete a rotation every other pick of the loom, and the cam is so constructed that a decline 54 thereof causes downward motion of the actuator lever 44 when the lay is at front center on the first pick of the four-pick sequence while the gang GR is rising. Immediately thereafter an incline 55 of the cam causes a reverse motion of the lever 44 to release a bobbin from the magazine, after which a dwell 56 of the cam holds the lever 44 and block 46 at rest during the next or second pick of the four-pick sequence.

The left end of lever 44 is connected to an upright rod 60 the upper end of which is attached to a rocking selector 6| mounted on a horizontal rod 62 slidable backwardly and forwardly on the magazine frame. By means of mechanism not shown but well understood release of a reserve bobbin from the magazine M is initiated when the rod 60 is depressed due to interruption of the normal free downward motion of lever 44 by the controller pin 35 when the detector indicates weft exhaustion, and the immediately ensuing upward motion of rod 69 due to incline 55 completes release of the reserve bobbin which then falls to transfer position on yielding supports 64.

Transferrer arm 55 mounted on stud I1 is normally inactive and raised but will be set in wellknown manner for a transferring operation when a bobbin is released from the magazine and the latter is set for transfer. Part of the mechanism for effecting transfer is shown in Fig. 1 and includes a second horizontal shaft 66 carrying an arm 61 from which depends a rod 68 the lower end of which controls the position of the transferrer latch 69.

Except for the use which I make of the arm 42 as set forth hereinafter, and the parts associated with it, the matter thus far described is of usual construction and forms no part of my present invention. The boxes GR are up for two picks and then down for two picks, and the lay L swings forwardly each beat of the loom and moves box I2 toward the detector finger 25. The block 46 tends to give the actuator lever 44 a downward motion on the first pick of the four-pick sequence while the shuttle boxes are rising and on every second pick thereafter, and gives the lever 44 an upward motion for the purpose of completing any bobbin release previously initiated. The transferrer thereafter inserts the released bobbin into the shuttle in the top box I2 during the second pick of the four-pick sequence while box I2 is still up, after which the magazine is restored to normal condition in usual manner. The magazine is of common form and may be the same as set forth in prior Patent No. 1,030,748 and co-pending application Serial No. 403,326, filed July 21, 1941.

In considering the matter already described it will be apparent that the detector must be capable of indicating weft exhaustion on the first pick of the four-pick sequence, but should be prevented from indicating exhaustion on any of the three remaining picks of the sequence, otherwise the transferrer would attempt replenishment of the shuttle in box I2 when the latter is too low. Furthermore, the loom should be able to replenish the shuttle in box l2 during any fourpick sequence.

In carrying my invention into effect I secure a short lever E to shaft 33 and pivot thereto as at H a rearwardly extending rod 72 having a down-bent end or finger 13 adapted for cooperation with a forward extension or bunter 14 on floor 15 of the top shuttle box I2. Wire 12 rests on a portion of the support l9 as suggested at '16 and is therefore limited in itsdownward motion, but it is free to move upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 3.

In order that the relation between the fioor l4 and the'bent end 13 may be understood I have set forth diagrammatically in Fig. 5 the path traversed by the bunter 14 when gang GR shifts. Starting with the lay on bottom center and assuming that the box i2 is to rise on the first pick of the four pick sequence, line a represents the height of shift of the boxes and therefore the vertical distance through which the bunter l4 rises. The line b represents the amountof forward motion of the bunter between bottom and front center positions. The combined upward motion of the boxes and the forward motion of the lay causes the bunter to traverse a curved path the lower half of which, as indicated at 0, extends upwardly and forwardly, reaching a point at when the lay is on front center and the boxes are approximately half shifted. Thereafter the bunter traverses that part e of the path which extends upwardly and rearwardly. The curve I represents the path of bunter 14 when the boxes are down on non-shifting picks, and curve G represents the path of the bunter when the boxes are up on non-shifting picks. The arrows m in curved lines o and 6 indicate the direction of motion of bunter 14 along the path while the boxes are rising during the first pick of the sequence, and it will be understood that during the third pick when the boxes fall the extension 14 will move along the curve e-c in reverse direction.

The lower end 82 of finger 13 lies normally above the curve 0 so that as the boxes are rising the bunter 14 will pass under the rod 12 and lift it around pivot H. Wire I2 therefore has no effect on shaft 33 or the controller pin 35 during this first pick or beat of the sequence. Under these conditions the controller pin can either remain under the actuator lever 44 upon indication of weft exhaustion, or be moved forwardly by indication of weft sufiiciency as slide 21 advances.

On the next forward beat of the lay occurring during the second pick of the sequence, the bunter 14 will travel along line G over wire 12 without engaging it, but on the third forward beat as the boxes descend bunter 14 will traverse curve e in a direction the reverse of arrow m and engage finger 13 to move rod 12 forwardly I2 is active the bunter 14 will pass forwardly 7 under finger 13 along line J.

It will be noted in the foregoing description that the bunter 14 is above wire 12 on the second pick and below it on the fourth pick of the repeat, but these are the picks on which the dwell 5B of the cam holds the lever 44 stationary, and even though the detector should indicate on these picks there will be'no opportunity for setting the magazine because lever 44 is idle.

As the boxes rise on a pick when the feeler does not indicate exhaustion of weft, slide 21 moves forwardly and upwardly with respect to shaft 33. The upper end of arm 42 is long enough to maintain engagement with the slide as the latter rises to its highest position, and as the lay moves to front center it advances the slide 21 sufliciently to compensate for the increasing distance between shaft 33 and the contact between the slide and arm, hence pin 35 is moved forwardly far enough to clear lever 44. The end 85 is preferably vertical when the slide is in normal rear position and parallel to the direction of motion of the detector as it rises. There is therefore no tendency for arm 42 to move pin 35 forwardly when the slide rises but remains in rear position to indicate exhaustion of weft.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided simple means for controlling communication of weft exhaustion from the detector to the magazine by a positioner mechanism operated by some part moving with the shuttle boxes in such a way to permit. the detector to indicate exhaustion and set the magazine for transfer on the first pick of a four-pick sequence, but prevent the detector from setting the magazine on the third pick. It will further be seen that the detector is free to control pin 35 on the first'pick because the bunter 14 causes upward pivotal movement of wire 12 as the boxes rise. Furthermore, by referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the finger 73 which controls pin 35 bears a definite relation with respect to the path traversed by the bunter l4, normally being above part c of the path and extending across part e.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen. that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without depart ng from the spirit'and scope of the invention and I-do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In weft detecting mechanism for a weft replenishing loo-m having a reciprocating lay on which is mounted shiftable shuttle boxes wh ch rise and fall in a .four pick cycle during which one of the boxes is inactive for the first pair of picks of the cycle and active for the second pair of picks thereof, the loom having a weft replenishing mechanism and a controller therefor normally set to cause a Weft replenishing operation during the second pick of the four-pick cycle and ac uator mean having a two-pick cycle of mo ements cooperatin with the controller on the first and third picks of the cycle to initiate replenishing operations, a weft detector mounted in front of the boxes to rise and fall in synchronism with the boxes as they rise and fall and register with said one shuttle box, control connections between the detector and said controller to move the latter out of cooperating relationship with respect to said actuator means on any pick on which the detector indicates weft sufficiency and permit said controller to remain in normally set position when the detector indicates weft exhaustion, and means operative during the third pick of said four-pick cycle to move said controller out of operative relation with respect to said actuator means independently of the weft detector.

2. In weft detector mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a. reciprocating lay on which are mounted shifting shuttle boxes which operate in a four-pick cycle during the first pair of picks of which one of said boxes is in inactive position and during the second pair of picks of which said shuttle box is in active position, the loom having a weft replenishing mechanism to replenish weft in said one box and having also an actuator operating in a two-pick cycle and a controller therefor normally positioned to cause said actuator to set the replenishing mechanism for a replenishing operation during the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle, a weft detector in front of said shuttle boxes rising and falling in synchronism with the boxes as they rise and fall and registering with said one shuttle box, connections between the detector and the controller to move the latter out of controlling position with respect to said actuator When the detector indicates weft sufficiency on the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle and permit said controller to remain operatively related to said actuator when indicating weft exhaustion on said first and third picks, and mechanism operated by a part moving with the shuttle boxes and connected to said controller independently of the detector to move said controller out of controlling position with respect to said actuator on the third pick of said four-pick cycle..

3. In weft detector mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay on which are mounted shifting shuttle boxes which operate in a four-pick cycle during the first pair of picks of which one of the shuttle boxes is in inactive position and during the second pair of picks of which said one shuttle box is in active position, the loom having a weft replenishing mechanism to replenish weft in said one box and having also an actuator operating in a twopick cycle and a controller for the actuator normally positioned to cause said actuator to set the replenishing mechanism for a replenishing operation on the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle, a weft detector .in front of said shuttle boxes rising and falling in synchronism with said boxes as they rise and fall and aligned with one of said shuttle boxes, connections between the detector and controller to move the latter out of operative relation with respect to said actuator when the detector indicates weft sufficiency on the first pick of said four-pick cycle and permit said controller to remain in operative relation with respect to said actuator when indicatin weft exhaustion on the first and third picks of the four pick cycle, means connected to said controller and in front of said shuttle boxes operated by a force derived from the lay and shuttle boxes during the third pick of said four-pick cycle to move said controller out of operative relation with respect to said actuator independently of the weft detector.

4. In weft detector mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay on which are mounted shifting shuttle boxes which operate in a four-pick cycle during the first pair of picks of which one of the shuttle boxes is in inactive position and during the second pair of picks of which said one shuttle box is in active position, the loom having a weft replenishing mechanism to replenish weft in said one box and having also an actuator operating in a two-pick cycle and a controller for the actuator normally positioned to cause said actuator to set the replenishing mechanism for a replenishing operation on the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle, a weft detector in front of said shuttle boxes rising and falling in synchronism with said boxes as they rise and fall and aligned with said one of the shuttle boxes, connections between the detector and controller to move the latter out of operative relation with respect to said actuator when the detector indicates weft sufficiency on the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle and permit said controller to remain in operative relation with respect to said actuator when indicating weft exhaustion on said first and third picks, control means for said controller in front of said shuttle boxes normally occupying a stationary position and connected to the said controller, and a part moving with said shuttle boxes and operative during the third pick of said cycle as the lay moves forwardly to engage said controller means and cause the latter to move said controller out of operative relation with respect to said actuator independently of the weft detector.

5. In weft detector mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay on which are mounted shifting shuttle boxes which operate in a four-pick cycle during the first pair of picks of which one of the shuttle boxes is in inactive position and during the second pair of picks of which said one shuttle box is in active position, the loom having a weft, replenishing mechanism to replenish weft in said one box and having also an actuato operating in a two-pick cycle and a controller for the actuator normally positioned to cause said actuator to set the replenishing mechanism for a replenishing operation on the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle, a weft detector in front of said shuttle boxes rising and falling in synchronism with said boxes as they rise and fall and aligned with said one shuttle box, connections between the detector and controller to move the latter out of operative relation with respect to said actuator when the detector indicates weft suificiency on the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle and permit said controller to remain in operative relation with respect to said actuator when indicating weft exhaustion on said first and third picks, a part moving with said controller, means connected to said part normally in a given horizontal position but movable upwardly therefrom, and a member moving with the shuttle boxes to cooperate with the last named means during forward motion of the lay on the first pick of said cycle to lift said means without causing motion of said part and cooperate with said means during the third pick of the cycle to move said means and part in a direction to move the controller out of operative relation with respect to said actuator independently of the weft detector.

6. In weft detector mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay on which are mounted shifting shuttle boxes which operate in a four-pick cycle during the first pair of picks of which one of the shuttle boxes is in inactive position and during the second pair of picks of which said one shuttle box is in active position, the loom having a weft replenishing mechanism to replenish weft in said one box and having also an actuator operating in a two-pick cycle and a controller for the actuator normally positioned to cause said actuator to set the replenishingmechanism for a replenishing operation on the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle, a Weft detector in front of said shuttle boxes rising and falling in synchronism with said boxes as they rise and fall and aligned with said one shuttle box, connections between the detector and controller to move the latter out of operative relation with respect to said actuator when the detector indicates weft sufficiency on the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle and permit said controller to remain in operative relation with respect to said actuator when the detector indicates weft exhaustion on said first and third picks, an angularly movable mechanism to which the controller is connected having a part moving with the controller in a given direction when said controller moves out of operative relation with respect to said actuator, an element connected to said part normally occupying a given horizontal position and movable upwardly from said position, and a member on the shuttle boxes to cooperate with said element during the first pick of said four-pick cycle to lift said element Without causing angular motion of said mechanism and thereby permit the controller to remain operatively related to the actuator and under control of the detector, said member during the third pick of said four pick cycle engaging said element to cause angular motion of said part in said given direction and move said controller out of operative relation with respect to said actuator independently of the weft detector.

7. In weft detector mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay, on which are mounted shifting shuttle boxes which operate in a four-pick cycle during the first pair of picks of which one of the shuttle boxes is in inactive position and during the second pair of picks of which said one shuttle box is in active position, the loom having a weft replenishing mechanism to replenish weft in said one box and having also an actuator operating in a two-pick cycle and a controller for the actuator normally positioned to cause said actuator to set the replenishing mechanism for a replenishing operation on the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle, a weft detector in front of said shuttle boxes rising and falling in synchronism with said boxes as they rise and fall and aligned with said one shuttle box, connections between the detector and controller to move the latter out of operative relation with respect to said actuator when the detector indicates weft sufficiency on the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle and permit. said controller to remain in operative relation with respect to said actuator when, the detector indicates weft exhaustion on said first and third picks, connector mechanism mounted for angular motion connected tosaid controller and having a part movable in a given direction when said controller moves out of operative relation with respect to said actuator, and means connected to said part actuated during the third pick of said four-pick cycle to move said part in said given direction by a force derived from the lay and communicated throughsaid boxes independently of the weft detector.

8. In weft detector mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay on which are mounted shifting shuttle boxes which operate in a four-pick cycle during the first pair of picks of which one of the shuttle boxes is in inactive position and during the second pair of picks of which said one shuttle box is in active position, the loom having a weft replenishing mechanism to replenish weft in said one box and having also an actuator operating in a two-pick cycle and a controller for the actuator normally positioned to cause said actuator to set the replenishing mechanism for a replenishing operation on the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle, a weft detector in front of said shuttle boxes rising and falling in synchronisin with said boxesas they rise and fall and aligned with said one shuttle box, connections between the detector and controller to move the latter out of operative relation with respect to said actuator when the detector indicates weft sufficiency on the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle and permit said controller to remain in operative relation with respect to said actuator when the detector indicates weftexhaustion on said first and third picks, a member mounted on the boxes traversing a path during the first pick of the cycle one portion of which is curved upwardly and forwardly due to forward motion of the la and rising motion of the boxes, the path having another portion which is curved upwardly and rearwardly clue to backward motion of the lay and continued rising of the boxes, said member traversing said path in reverse direction during said third pick while the boxes are descending, and means connected to the controller normally occupying a given horizontal position but movable upwardly from said position, said means having a part which extends upwardly from a point above said first portion of the path across said other portion of the path, said member on the first pick of said four-pick cycle moving under said part of the means to lift the latter without moving the same forwardly and cooperating with said part of the means during the third'pick of said four-pick cycle to move said means forwardly to move the controller out of cooperative relation with respect to the actuator independently of the weft detector.

9. In weft detector mechanism for a Weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay on which are mounted shifting shuttle boxes which operate in a four-pick cycle durin the first pair of picks of which one ofthe shuttle boxes is in inactive position and during the second pair of picks of which said one shuttle box is in active position, the loom having a weft replenishing mechanism to replenish weft in said one box and provided with an actuator operating in a two.- pick cycle and having working strokes in the first and third picks of said cycle and remaining idle in the second and fourth picks of said cycle, a controller for the actuator normally positioned to cause said actuator to set the replenishing mechanism for a replenishing operation on the first and third picks of said fourpick cycle, a weft detector in front of said shuttle boxes rising and falling in synchronism with said boxes as they rise and fall and aligned with said one shuttle box, connections between the detector and controller to move the latter out of operative relation. with respect to said actuator when the detector indicates weft exhaustion on said first and third picks, a member on the boxes traversing a relatively high arcuate path during forward motion of the lay in the second pick of said four-pick cycle and traversing a relatively low arcuate path during the fourth pick of said four-pick cycle, said member traversing a third path the first part of which is curved upwardly and forwardly as the lay advances during the first pick of said four-pick cycle, the second part of said third path thereafter being curved upwardly and backwardly as the lay recedes during said first pick, said mem ber traversing said third path in reverse direction during the third pick of the cycle, and control means for said controller having a portion the low part of which terminates above the first part of said third path and extends across the second part of said third path, said member during the first pick of said four-pick cycle lifting said control means without causing motion of said controller, and said member operative during the third pick of said four-pick cycle to move said control means forwardly to move the controller out of operative relation with respect to said actuator.

10. In weft detector mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a frame provided with a reciprocating lay on which are mounted shifting shuttle boxes which operate in a four-pick cycle and rise during the first pair of picks of the cycle to place one of said boxes in inactive position and descend during the second pair of picks of the cycl to move said one shuttle box to active position, the loom having a weft replenishing mechanism to replenish weft in said one shuttle box and having also an actuator operating in a two-pick cycle, a controller for the actuator normally positioned to cause said actuator to set the replenishing mechanism for a replenishing operation during the first and third picks of said four-pick cycle, a weft detector rising and falling in synchronism with said boxes as the latter rise and fall and registering with said one shuttle box, said detector moving forwardly when indicating weft sufficiency and remaining in normal rear position when indicating weft exhaustion, a shaft rotatably mounted with respect to the loom frame and connected to said controller, an arm secured to said shaft having a part to engage the weft detector as the latter rises and falls, resilient means acting on said shaft tending to cause the arm to move the detector to normal rear position and maintain the controller in normal position, and mechanism operatively connected to said shaft and operated by a part moving with the shuttle boxes to rock said shaft against the action of said resilient means to move said controller out of controlling position with respect to said actuator on the third pick of said four-pick cycle.

11. In weft detector mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a frame provided with a reciprocating lay on which are mounted shifting shuttle boxes operating in a four-pick cycle and rising during the first pair of picks of the cycle to move one of said boxes to inactive position and descending during the second pair of picks of the cycle to move said one shuttle box to active position, the loom having a weft replenishing mechanism to replenish weft in said one box and having also an actuator operating in a two-pick cycle, a shaft rotatably mounted with respect to the loom frame, a controller operatively connected to said shaft, a weft detector rising and falling in synchronism with the shuttle boxes as the latter rise and fall and registering with said one shuttle box, an arm secured to said shaft and having a portion extending in the direction in which the weft detector moves when rising and falling, resilient means on the shaft tending to hold the controller normally in controlling position with respect to said actuator and hold said arm against the detector as the latter rises and descends to urge the detector to normal position, said detector when indicating Weft sufficiency as said boxes rise during said first pair of picks moving forwardly to cause said arm to rock the shaft and move said controller to noncontrolling position with respect to the actuator and said detector when indicating weft exhaustion remaining in rear position, whereupon said resilient means maintains the controller in controlling position with respect to said actuator, and mechanism operatively connected to said shaft and operated by a part of said shuttle boxes as the latter descend in said second pair of picks to rock said shaft in a direction to cause said controller to move to non-controlling position with respect to said actuator independently of any action of the detector on said arm.

12. In a weft detecting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay on which are mounted shifting shuttle boxes which operate in a four-pick cycle and rise during the first pair of picks of said cycle to move one of said shuttle boxes to transfer position and descend during the second pair of picks of said cycle to move said one shuttle box to active position, the loom having weft replenishing mechanism to replenish weft in said one shuttle box and having also an actuator operating in a two-pick cycle, a controller which when in the path of the actuator interrupts movement thereof and causes the actuator to set the replenishing mechanism for a replenishing operation, a weft detector rising and falling in synchronism with the shuttle boxes as the latter rise and fall and registering with said one shuttle box, connections between the Weft detector and controller operative to locate said controller in said path of the actuator when the detector indicates weft exhaustion, the controller being out of said path when the detector indicates weft sufficiency on said first and third picks of the cycle, and mechanism operated by a part moving with said shuttle boxes and connected to said controller to prevent thelatter from being in said path on the third pick of said. cycle.

13. In a weft detecting mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a reciprocating lay on which are mounted shifting shuttle boxes which operate in a four-pick cycle and rise during the first pair of picks of said cycle to move said one shuttle box to transfer position and descend during the second pair of picks of said cycle to move said shuttle box to picking position and away from transfer position, the loom having weft replenishing mechanism to replenish weft in said one shuttle box and having also an actuatoroperating in a two-pick cycle, a controller for the actuator, the controller and actuator when in one relationship causing the actuator to set the weft replenishing mechanism for a replenishing operation when the detector indicates a weft exhaustion and in another relationship when the weft detector indicates weft sufficiency preventing the actuator from setting the weft replenishing mechanism for a weft replenfshing operation, means controlled by the weft detector when the latter indicates weft exhaustion on said first and third picks of the cycle to establish said one relationship between said controller and said actuator, and mechanism operated by a part of the shuttle boxes during the third pick of said'cycle and acting independently of the weft detector to establish said other relationship between said controller and said actuator to prevent the latter from setting the weft replenishing mechanism for a weft replenishing operation.

v CLIFFORD DARWIN. 

